


gods and ravens

by buvkissteves



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Bucky Barnes Recovering, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Everyone Is Gay, Explicit Sexual Content, Ghost Noah Czerny, M/M, Soft Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish, Top Steve Rogers, steve rogers is POWERFUL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:15:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27785830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buvkissteves/pseuds/buvkissteves
Summary: "Captain America,"Steve turned and saw a young man, barely older than twenty-one, with a shaved head, narrow eyes, and a raven of all things on his shoulder."Steve Rogers," Steve corrected him."So, they were right about you."Steve's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of such cryptic words. "Who are you?""You'll find out soon. Go to 300 Fox Way. They'll tell you what you are." Steve found it very interesting that the man said 'what' and not 'who'."And what are you, kid?" he asked.The young man smiled—but his smile was a warning. It was filled with violence and trickery and secrets. That was a smile that was not to be trusted, and perhaps one that did not give its trust away easily in return. "I'm a motherfucking god."Steve woke up.
Relationships: Henry Cheng/Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	gods and ravens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ransomdrysdale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ransomdrysdale/gifts).



“So, where are we?” Bucky Barnes asked, looking out the window, his nose nearly pressed up against the glass like a child. Steve Rogers couldn’t blame him, they had been driving for hours. Almost eleven hours to be kind of precise, but they had finally made it to the destination that Steve had in mind.

“Henrietta.”

“Never heard of it,” Bucky mumbled, looking over the valleys and mountains that surrounded the town.

“Exactly.”

“I’m confused.”

Steve grinned. “It’s not exactly a tourist destination. In fact, parts of the town don’t even appear on maps.”

Bucky finally looked over at him, and Steve took his eyes off the road for just a second so he could steal a look at Bucky, who was so heartbreakingly beautiful that it almost made Steve sad. Almost. Now they were happy and retired, so there was no reason to be sad anymore.

“How is that possible?”

“The rumours say it’s because of magic.”

“Rumours, huh?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to look for magic. I thought it would be a nice escape from people. No one knows we’re here, and the people who live here might not even care about who we are.”

Bucky nibbled on his bottom lip, as though he was trying to stop himself from smiling. Steve didn’t understand why. His favourite thing in the world was Bucky’s smile. “So, a whole week of nothing.”

“A whole week of nothing.”

Bucky finally did smile, wide now. “Sounds nice.”

Retired life for two ex Avengers was actually still full of excitement. Although they technically didn’t fight on the team anymore, they couldn’t _not_ react if something went wrong right in front of them. So every once and a while they stopped a mugging, or a robbery, or something worse. But mostly, retired life had them travelling around, visiting cities and towns they otherwise wouldn’t have. It had been Bucky’s idea to start travelling now that they had years upon years of free time. As for Steve, he would have been perfectly content to stay home and do nothing _or_ travel the world. It didn’t matter much to him, so long as he was with Bucky.

“You know,” Bucky reached for Steve’s hand, holding it tightly. “It’s funny how you think that people won’t notice you here. I like that every once and a while you’re still a little naive.”

Steve scoffed, feigning a deeper hurt than he was experiencing. “I am not naive!”

“You’re probably the most famous person in the world, and you’re engaged to someone with a famous metal arm. In what world will people not know who you are?”

“I don’t know about different worlds, but I’m hoping just the change of town will be enough.”

“Like I said. Naive.” he teased, kissing Steve’s hand.

“Ass,”

“Hey now, you like my ass.”

Steve laughed, shaking his head, feeling content and warm all over. It was due to far more than the hot sun shining through the windows of the car. Bucky kept teasing him for the rest of the ride, and to be quite frank, Steve wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. They drove another ten minutes before they made it to the Henrietta Hotel, which looked exactly how the rest of the town looked. Southern. Brown. Like the heat from the outside would be reflected on the inside.

“Thank God, I need a shower,” Bucky mumbled as he got out of the car. Before he closed the door he grinned at Steve. “Which you should definitely join me for.”

“Pal, you don’t have to tell me twice.”

* * *

Blue Sargent sat behind the desk at the Henrietta Hotel, flipping through a book she had read twice already and was just rereading her favourite parts. It felt nice to revisit her favourite characters without having to always reread the book in its entirety. Quite frankly, she didn’t always have the time, considering she was working two jobs and in her free time much preferred hanging out with her raven boys. Why read a book about magic, when you could live it?

When the door opened, she was shocked to see two very aggressively handsome men make their way to the front desk. She was also shocked because she knew exactly who they were, and was surprised that they walked inside without so much as a disguise. In fact, they were dressed so _normal_ that it was almost unsettling to see.

“Hi there,” Blue put on her best smile, putting her book down and standing up. “Welcome to the Henrietta Hotel, my name is Blue Sargent. Do you have a reservation with us?” she was very aware of the insane height difference between herself and the two men.

“Hello,” Steve Rogers smiled warmly back. She watched with fascination as one of the most famous men in the world ran a hand through his growing hair, and his partner, Bucky Barnes put a hand on his back. “Yes, under Rogers.”

“I just need your credit card.”

“Sure thing.” As he handed it to her and she made to grab it, Blue felt a tingle in her fingertips. It was like plugging something into a socket and feeling a shock that wasn't quite a full electrical shock. A whisper of it. She knew that Steve felt it too since he immediately narrowed his eyes, but she quickly took her hand back.

She knew what that tingle meant.

It meant that Steve Rogers had been touched by magic.

Bucky Barnes had obviously noticed the strange exchange, which was unsurprising to her. In her experience, a partner saw everything their counterpart did, no matter how much they tried to hide it. Or maybe just the people like her. Serious people. People who put love before everything else.

She did her best to keep smiling as normally as possible, even though a ton of questions were racing through her mind. She inputted their card and then returned it, grabbing their respective key and sliding it over the counter.

“Check out is on your last day at 12 pm. We have free breakfast every morning from six in the morning to noon. If you have any questions, let me know. There is no one else that can help you anyway.”

Steve chuckled and grabbed the key. “Thank you, Blue Sargent.”

Bucky said nothing, he only nodded and helped Steve with the bags before they made their way to the elevator. Blue waited until they stepped inside and the doors closed before she dialled the only number on her phone that would care about what had just happened to her.

Immediately, Richard Gansey The Third answered.

“Jane,” his voice was smooth and lovely. “What can I do for you?”

* * *

Bucky almost punched his metal hand through the glass door of the shower, but Steve caught his hand to stop him. Their hands intertwined instead, mirroring their two flesh ones on the other side of Bucky’s head and Steve placed them softly on the door. Bucky was in so much _pain_ , and he just wanted to hurt something, but Steve always kept him grounded, kept him safe.

Shuri had fixed a lot inside of Bucky, but mental trauma was not something simple to get rid of. When it came to sex, Bucky wanted it, needed it, but it took him a _very_ long time to reach the peak he so desired. Sometimes, like today, it took so long that he would get angry, but that’s where Steve stepped in. He knew how to keep Bucky sane, and in one piece. But it definitely didn’t help his mental state that Steve had already finished twice, and a half-hour later, Bucky still couldn’t get what he wanted once.

“You’re okay,” Steve kissed Bucky’s shoulder. The water wasn’t even on anymore, they had been in here so long that Steve had turned it off to save the hot water. They stood in the shower, naked, Steve deep inside of Bucky, thrusting slowly now instead of in the fevered way he had done so before.

Bucky’s entire body was shaking. “I’m sorry.” he wanted to bang his head against the glass but refrained. It wasn’t right, and it would only make Steve sad.

“Don’t be,” Steve kissed him behind his ear. “Tell me what you need.”

Frustration pooled in Bucky’s stomach as he tried to think (which, was incredibly difficult to do since he had his soon to be husband’s massive dick inside of him). “You...” he breathed in and out, trying to center himself. “You have to go fast, real fast, and let me touch myself.”

Steve kissed his shoulder. “If I let go, you promise that you won’t break anything?”

“Promise.” he exhaled loudly. “Please, Steve.”

Steve didn’t respond, but he did remove his hand from Bucky’s, allowing Bucky’s hand to reach down to grab and stroke himself. Before Steve began to thrust, he turned Bucky’s head so they could kiss messily, and then, with his strong, big hands on Bucky’s hips, he began to push and in out as fast and as hard as he can. The first few took the breath out of Bucky, and he had to rip his mouth away from Steve’s just to breathe.

Steve pounded into him relentlessly, moving at a pace that was pulling noises out of Bucky that he didn’t even know he could make. Steve had angled himself so he could hit Bucky’s prostate every time, milking it as hard as he could. One of Steve’s arms wrapped around his torso, holding him so close that no air could pass between their bodies.

After a painful few minutes, Bucky found his release, and Steve allowed himself to finish for the third time only seconds after that.

Bucky almost collapsed, or he would have if Steve had not been there to hold him up. Steve showered his back, neck, and shoulders with kisses, whispering to him about how much he loved him, adored him, was devoted to him.

Bucky’s sensitive body shivered from Steve pulling out. He slowly turned around and brought Steve close to him, making sure Steve could feel that he was still hard.

That damn super-soldier serum.

Steve got down to his knees without a second thought. “It’s a good thing the second time is always easier.” he laughed. Before Bucky could respond though, he put his mouth on him, and words suddenly were of no use to either of them.

* * *

Ronan Lynch loved summer.

Summer meant many things: it meant those were the months when the farm would do best, it meant Matthew and Declan would come to visit more often since school was out, and it meant late nights with the people he loved. Most importantly, it meant Adam was back home from college. Almost just as important, for this year, in particular, it meant Gansey, Blue, and Henry were staying here for the summer. Mostly, Ronan was pleased that Gansey was staying. He tried not to let it show how much it affected him when Gansey left without him, tried not to let it show how much it bothered him to see photos of the three of them—Gansey, Sargent, Cheng, when it used to be another three—Gansey, Lynch, Parrish. But Ronan was learning. Getting better. Besides, he loved Blue, and genuinely enjoyed Henry’s company. But they all knew who Ronan liked best, after Adam. It wasn’t a secret.

Today was Sunday, which was Ronan’s favourite day, whether it was summer or not. It meant no one was working, families were together, and he could do as he pleased.

Declan and Matthew weren’t visiting this weekend, but Ronan still kept his tradition of going to church. What had started out as something for Matthew turned into something he felt he needed just as much as his little brother did. It was one of the only ways that he could speak to his father. His prayers were always long and intricate, they always covered the people who mattered most to him, but he found more and more, that halfway through his prayers to God, the prayers were directed to his actual father instead. After all, Niall Lynch was a god in his own right.

Adam never attended church with him and Ronan never tried to force him. Besides, one of the best parts of church was coming home after it was done.

“Honey, I’m home,” Ronan drawled sarcastically. Ronan dressed in a very uncatholic way when he went to church—jeans, tank top. Nothing more. The old ladies once rolled their eyes and whispered but then when they all found out Ronan Lynch was funding the church to keep it running, everyone shut their mouths.

“Kitchen,” Adam called.

“Smells good,” Ronan walked in. In his opinion, there were not enough words in the English language that could perfectly sum up how he felt about Adam Parrish. How seeing Adam in a t-shirt and shorts made his heart so full of love because those were _his, Ronan Lynch’s t-shirt and shorts, and it meant that Adam was here, home with him._ Ronan Lynch had always been so full of love, hunger, and desire, but now he felt privileged that he finally had the opportunity to give it to someone who desperately needed it as much as he did.

“New recipe,” Adam said, turning off the stove. Ronan didn’t ask, nor did he particularly care about what Adam was cooking. His heart however did fill with even more joy (was that possible) when he noticed Adam put raw meat on the table for Chainsaw to pick at (and was doing so happily).

He walked up behind Adam, kissing his neck. Adam said nothing, but Ronan could see his mouth tilt into a smile. Ronan’s hand slowly started to trail down Adam’s chest.

“I’m awfully hungry,” Adam murmured.

Ronan grinned, tracing his teeth across skin. “Oh,” his hand found Adam’s groin, and he massaged him through his pants. “So am I.”

Adam’s breath hitched. “Gansey called.”

“Gansey can wait.”

Adam sighed happily and gave in.

* * *

“This is fucking good,” Ronan said.

They were sitting naked on the kitchen floor, their backs against the cabinets, each of them with a full plate of food in their hand. Adam had made them orzo salad, with a new dressing he had made, fried and breaded eggplant, and chicken with mushroom sauce.

“You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

“I’m not. You’re good at everything you do.”

Adam’s eyes flickered to Ronan’s, and he smiled warmly. “When you say things like that, you make me never want to leave.”

“So don’t.” Ronan challenged, his blue eyes fierce.

Adam sighed, looking away sadly. “Oh Ronan, let’s not spoil our day. We still have another month before we have to argue about me going back to school.”

Ronan offered him a small grin, conceding for the time being, before asking, “So, Gansey called?”

“Yeah, they’re coming over in like two hours. All three of them.”

“Something wrong?”

“I don’t know. Gansey just said he wants you to reach someone in their dreams.”

“Does he know that’s not how it works?”

“He says Blue has something that will allow you, or me actually, to help you reach the person. They won’t tell me who it is, but Gansey sounded excited.”

Ronan sighed, knowing that even though he didn’t want to do it, he would anyhow because Gansey was asking. And as tough as Ronan liked to pretend he was, when it came to Gansey, he did everything that was asked of him. “Can’t be worse than uncovering skeletons.”

“No, this person is definitely alive. Gansey just hasn’t had the opportunity to deal with magic in a while so he sounded more excited than usual. He’s not dating a dreamer, after all.”

“Or a magician.”

“No, not that either.”

“No,” Ronan rolled his eyes. “He’s just dating a psychic who can see dead people.”

“I rather have the dreamer.”

Ronan grinned widely and set his plate down, moving forward to grab Adam by his neck, lightly, and tilt his head up so he could kiss him passionately. He used a lot of tongue and got very handsy, but Adam didn’t seem to mind. In fact, their food remained untouched for another round before their friends would come to join them.

* * *

Personally, Adam Parrish loved the way his boyfriend looked at their best friend. Ronan Lynch looked at Richard Gansey the same way some devout Christians looked at a statue of Jesus Christ. Many, mostly people who were outside of the Gansey-Lynch-Parrish-Sargent-Cheng circle, thought that Adam should be jealous of the intense love that Ronan showed for Gansey, but Adam found that it only made him love Ronan even more. That was the best thing about him, his undying loyalty and faith for his friends, his family, his brothers. Because who was Richard Gansey if not a brother of Ronan Lynch?

So Adam didn’t mind sitting on the couch to watch Gansey and Ronan on the floor, their heads bent together as they talked out a plan, with Chainsaw hopping around them. A plan that would include Adam, naturally, but Adam liked to watch them work. He hadn’t been able to see something like this in so long.

Ronan was back in his simple clothes, and Gansey was wearing pastel pink khaki shorts with a white button-down t-shirt that was open to show his collarbone. Once upon a time, a look like this would have sent Ronan in a fit of rage no one would have understood, but now, Ronan seemed to appreciate it since he had the person he _actually_ wanted.

Gansey pushed his glasses up his nose, and Ronan tugged on his hair. Adam didn’t know why, but it made him smile anyhow. They were grown in so many ways, but children in so many others.

Adam looked to Blue. “So, you stole their hairbrush?”

Blue looked very proud of herself as she said, “Yup. It should have their DNA or magic, or whatever it is you and Ronan need to reach them in a dream.”

Henry smiled brightly. “I still can’t believe you met Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Captain freaking America. This is so unfair, I want to meet them!”

“Well, if they can pull this off, you just might.”

Then, Gansey spoke, but it was no longer in the hushed tone he was using with Ronan, which meant it demanded attention. “So, if Adam uses the brush to scry, you’ll be able to follow him, and the two of you can use your combined magic to reach them?”

Ronan shrugged, but it was very obvious that he was trying hard not to look excited. “It will work,” he promised. Because why wouldn’t it work? Everything had proven they could do this, and everything about Ronan proved he would do anything for Gansey.

Henry leaned forward, smiling sweetly at the two young men sitting on the floor. “Has it occurred to anyone else that it’s not even past four? They won’t be asleep for hours.”

Gansey looked at Blue before looking over at Adam, staring at him intently. “I thought we could all be together anyhow. We haven’t been this lucky in a while.”

Adam nodded. “We need it.” And they did. Because before they knew it, summer would be over and school would be back, and Ronan Lynch would be alone again. And Ronan Lynch alone was a very dangerous thing. So until then, they would make sure that his summer was as good as it could possibly be.

Henry tapped Blue’s leg. “Do you think he’s more like you?”

“Who, Captain America? No. Maybe. I don’t know.” she bit her bottom lip. “It’s weird, I never felt any physical reaction before, when it came to meeting all of you. It was all on the inside. But with him, it was like I felt whatever he has _go_ inside my body.” Ronan opened his mouth, for what Adam could only assume would be a dirty joke, but a look from Gansey silenced him. Adam winked at him anyhow.

Gansey titled his head, his eyes still on Adam. “Magician?”

Adam shook his head. “No, Blue would have felt something with me.”

Ronan looked at the brush between him and Gansey. “And if he were a dreamer, people would know. Or he’d be dead.”

“From what I heard,” Gansey said quietly, kingly, “He is not easy to kill.”

“So, what’s left?” Henry asked.

Blue sighed. “Probably a ton of things that not even we know about?”

“It could just be the super serum, right?”

“Could be...” but she didn’t sound convinced. “I think if we can reach them, and get them to Fox Way, maybe we’ll have an easier time figuring it out. He may not even know what’s inside of him.”

“So then is that something we should really be interfering with then?”

Richard Gansey, finder of things and people, smiled. “We take quests, we are always in the pursuit of magic. This is work for gods.”

Ronan, who took gods seriously, asked, “Is that what you think we are?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Gansey looked at Adam significantly. “But maybe Captain Rogers is.”

* * *

Steve Rogers knew very well that he was dreaming, but even he knew that the type of dream he was having was an unusual one. It was unusual because although he felt very present in his dream, which he could only assume to mean that something weird was going on. This wasn't like any of his other dreams, this felt like when Wanda had played with his mind. He was here, but not here.

Right now, here was a forest. The trees were as tall as skyscrapers, and the leaves rustled without wind. There was a song playing, but it wasn't the song from a memory, or birds singing, it was almost like the song was coming from somewhere else. It was in Latin, a language that Steve didn't understand but knew it when he heard it.

"Captain America,"

Steve turned and saw a young man, barely older than twenty-one, with a shaved head, narrow eyes, and a raven of all things on his shoulder.

"Steve Rogers," Steve corrected him.

"So, they were right about you."

Steve's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of such cryptic words. "Who are you?"

"You'll find out soon. Go to 300 Fox Way. They'll tell you what you are." Steve found it very interesting that the man said 'what' and not 'who'.

"And what are you, kid?" he asked.

The young man smiled—but his smile was a warning. It was filled with violence and trickery and secrets. That was a smile that was not to be trusted, and perhaps one that did not give its trust away easily in return. "I'm a motherfucking god."

Steve woke up.

* * *

"Steve, are you sure about this?"

Steve nodded, putting the car in park. "I'm telling you Bucky, this wasn't a normal dream. It was instructional. Intentional. Like I was supposed to be dreaming about something else but I got sucked into that dream instead.”

"I don't see how that would be possible."

"I didn't think Thor was possible at one point, but look at everything that has happened. Maybe whoever that man was is like Wanda, a mutant."

Bucky groaned, putting his hair up in a ponytail. "We're supposed to be on vacation."

"Well, some people visit psychics on vacation."

"Oh really, like who?"

"I don't know. People. Come on," he leaned across the seat kissing Bucky's cheek over and over again to win a smile from his best guy. "You can consider it your way of thanking me for how well I treated you last night."

"Oh my God," Bucky groaned, pushing Steve's face away. "You think mighty high of yourself."

"Come on," Steve unbuckled his belt. "It will take up an hour of your time."

"Fine," Bucky mumbled, following him out. They both stood in front of the house, which was a standard southern home. Blue, wraparound porch, two floors and an attic. More importantly, it was a loud house, and Steve knew that because of the yelling that they could hear from outside.

_"You brought Captain America here, do you understand that?"_

_"I felt his hand! I know he's different, I just don't know what he is!"_

_"Has it ever occurred to you to leave people alone every once and a while?"_

_"Why am I the only one being lectured? They helped me!"_

Bucky frowned. "They should really learn to close the windows."

Steve said nothing in response but took Bucky's hand, for his own comfort and anxiety more than anything else and walked up on the porch, knocking three times on the door. As soon as his third knock sounded, the entire house went quiet, as though no one lived inside at all. It took almost a full minute before someone opened the door.

Standing there was the girl from the motel, shorter than Steve by a large margin, with her messy hair only half in place from pins. Steve was sure he didn't hide his surprise. "Hello again," he said. Bucky, who was very tense next to him, and who Steve was sure wished he had a weapon with him just in case, simply nodded, already uncomfortable that they had been conned by their concierge.

"Blue Sargent," she reminded them. "Come on in."

"Thank you."

The house was, as Steve suspected, quite large. It was filled with a lot of colours and a lot of people, most of them being women. They were all crowded in the room on his right, and it took him a moment to take everyone in. But even before he could, Blue started to speak.

"That's my mom, Maura." A woman who looked like Blue, with high cheekbones, even darker skin, and bare feet. "This is Calla," Dark brown skin, muscular, purple lipstick. "Next to her is Jimi," Tall, curves everywhere, big beautiful eyes, and a kind smile. "The one ogling you is Orla." Almost a doppelganger of Jimi, except thinner. "And these are Adam, Ronan, Henry, and Richard Gansey III."

Adam, who reminded Steve of a savannah, hadn't even been noticeable until Blue had pointed him out. Steve wondered if perhaps he purposely meant to exist that way. To only be noticed when he wanted to be noticed. Next to him was Ronan who was the boy from the dream. Bucky seemed to recognize the description too, largely from the raven on his shoulder and squeezed Steve's hand in warning. Henry was the only one smiling, and his dark hair seemed to be very carefully done. He was dressed the most immaculately of them all. Richard Gansey III, looked exactly how he sounded. He could be cast in a period piece and he could get away with wearing Steve's Captain America suit himself. He had that hero look about him. And the way Blue's lips formed his name made Steve very sure that this man led them.

Proving his point, Gansey stepped forward and held out his hand. "It is an absolute pleasure to meet you."

“Hi, nice to meet you too.” Steve shook his hand, smiling softly. “I didn’t know we’d have such a show.”

Maura snorted. “Well, when the circus comes to town...”

“Oh,” Blue snapped her fingers. She went inside her bag that was on the floor and grabbed Buck’s hairbrush from inside, handing it over to them. “Thanks.”

“Ha!” Bucky smacked Steve’s arm. “I told you I didn’t fucking lose it.”

“Nope,” Blue smiled. “Just stolen.”

Steve nodded. “That’s how you came in my dream.” he looked at Ronan. "You needed something of ours."

It was Adam who answered, “More or less.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes. “What’s the more, what’s the less?”

Calla snapped, her voice tense and annoyed. “If this goes over the hour, I will charge extra!”

Blue smiled somewhat apologetically at Steve. “Maybe we should get started,”

“Where should I sit?”

“Stand,” Calla corrected. “You’re not here for any tarots or fortune-telling. You’re here because these mongrels want to know what you are. That’s for me.” She stepped forward with her hands out, and Steve, who really should have seen it coming, was pushed aside and replaced with Bucky. His eyes were dark, violent. He looked a bit like Ronan.

Calla’s brow furrowed. “The boyfriend?” If Bucky were an animal, he’d have growled. But instead, he was silent and steady.

“Bucky,” Steve put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. We chose to come here.”

Bucky acted like he wasn’t there. “Me first,” he said to Calla.

“Excuse you?”

“I’m not letting you touch him unless I know what’s going to happen.”

Steve saw, from the corner of his eye, Adam and Ronan exchange a significant look. _Ah_ , Steve thought, _these are people who understand what it means to find your soul in someone else._

“Fine,” Calla snapped. And before anyone could say another thing, she put her hand on Bucky’s metal arm. His eyes never left her face, but Calla did close her eyes and whimper after a few seconds. This, apparently, was a sound that she did not often make, because all the other women were suddenly a lot closer to Calla than they were before. Richard Gansey looked interested and astounded all at once.

“Calla,” Maura murmured.

Calla didn’t move, she just kept standing there. Whatever she was doing didn’t seem to cause Bucky any kind of pain, but she seemed to be in an enormous amount of it. After exactly another 34 more seconds (because yes, Steve was counting), she took her hand off of Bucky’s arm.

When she opened her eyes, they were filled with tears.

“Calla,” Blue whispered, touching her shoulder. “Are you _crying_?”

She didn’t answer Blue directly, but she spoke, half to her, and half to Bucky, not taking her eyes away from him. “This arm was born from war, and sometimes they feel like they’re still living in one.” Steve's stomach twisted uncomfortably. In many ways, veterans never left the wars they fought, no matter how much time had passed. 

“They?”

“It’s like...it’s like the arm knows them both. Whatever Captain Rogers is, this man is a bit as well.” Calla shook her head, stepping back. “It so rarely happens that an object has an attachment to another human who isn’t _connected_ to it.”

Steve replied, “We both have the super-soldier serum.” But he wasn't sure that was an actual explanation or answer to anything she had said. 

Calla’s eyes flashed to him as if she only just remembered he was there. “Do you know how much pain he is in?”

Steve’s heart sank. He looked over to Bucky and tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear. Bucky wasn’t looking at him, which Steve expected. He was slipping away, going to a place where his mind could protect itself. “Yes,” Steve whispered. “I know. How is it that you know?”

“I can see where an object has been, and how the person who owns it feels. I can see its origin.”

An awkward silence fell over the room, Bucky looking at Calla, Calla looking at Steve, and Steve looking at Bucky. It took a long while, or perhaps it just felt that way, before someone spoke. Shockingly, it was not Calla or Blue or Gansey or Ronan. It was Henry.

“Mr. Barnes? How about a cup of tea?” he asked awkwardly, flashing a smile.

Bucky's tone was apathetic. “I’m not leaving Steve.”

“Hey Buck,” Steve turned Bucky’s face so they could look at each other. “Go get some tea.”

“What? I’m not going.”

“Bucky, nothing bad is going to happen. Calm down, get some tea.”

Ronan Lynch stepped forward, clearing his throat. Adam watched him move, and that made Steve smile softly. “Calla freaked me out the first time too,” he admitted and doing so sounded like it was physically hurting him. “I walked out. It’s a lot.” He shifted, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but in that room. “Everyone else continued without me. I didn’t have tea then, but being away helps.” When Bucky didn’t answer, some annoyance glittered in Ronan’s eyes. “Hey, listen, I’m trying to be nice, alright? Let’s get the fuck out of here, and in two minutes, you can come back in.” Adam looked at him sweetly, and like he was a little tired, and Ronan looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground.

Bucky, whose entire body was tense, muttered. “Fine.”

“Great,” Ronan snapped. He threw a look at Adam that Steve was sure meant something important before he, Henry, and Bucky turned and left the room, leaving Steve alone with the remaining guests.

Steve sighed, looking at Calla. “Does it have to be an object?”

Calla stared at him hard. “Usually, but...with you, I’m not so sure. If Blue _felt_ you, that means something is inside you. I don’t know what to do.”

Blue looked personally offended by Calla's lack of confidence. “ _Calla._ ” As though the very idea of this woman not knowing what to do was insulting to the essence of her being. 

Jimi sweetly murmured, “Come now Blue, this is an energy that not even your raven boys have.”

“An object may be safer.” Calla snapped. She seemed to say everything in a final, abrupt way. “Where’s your shield, Captain?”

Steve waved his arms. “Not on me.”

“But you have it.”

Annoyed that Steve was apparently, easier to read than he thought, he said, “In my trunk.” Sam ended up having another one made for him, and Steve kept his, in the end. To be honest, the emotional attachment to it was quite large, and every once and a while he was worried that something terrible would happen to him and he wouldn’t have it. So, he did as he was asked soon after, and went to his car and took out his shield, trying not to feel nervous about what was about to happen. These women made him nervous. They were strong, and Calla had undone Bucky so easily. Once he was back in and brought it to her, he held it in front of her and watched her strong hands hover over the shield.

“Careful,” Steve murmured.

Calla did not snap at him. She closed her eyes again and placed both of her hands on the shield, feeling its origin, everything Steve felt, and everywhere it had been. Every battle.

Every single one.

“Ow!” she exclaimed, taking her hands away like she received a shock. “I saw _the_ battle. Felt it. You...something happened to you.”

 _Yes,_ Steve thought, _I lost my friends._ But that’s not what she was saying, clearly. Beyond that, only one other significant thing had happened to him. “Is this about Thor?”

Gansey and Blue both said, “As in the god?”

Calla replied, “What did he do to you?”

“Nothing,” Steve said honestly. “I was just able to...well, I found out I was worthy to pick up the hammer. His hammer."

Richard Gansey seemed to come alive at those words, stepping forward and taking his rightful place in the room. He was suddenly the centre of it. “You picked up Mjölnir? That would make complete sense, and it would be a lot less scary than everyone is making you seem.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The legend says that whoever holds the hammer will be worthy of the power of Thor. You’re probably connected to him now. You likely have some sacred bond that is in your blood. That’s probably why Blue felt you, because it’s like magic literally runs through you now, and is amplified by your serum.” he was speaking fast, all the puzzle pieces forming in his head. “You may not be a god, but you are definitely godly. Maybe like a demigod. I wonder if you have any extra powers...”

“I’d rather we don’t find out.” Bucky Barnes said, coming back into the room. He had a cup of half-drunken tea in his hands and looked immensely tired. “We’re retired.” He stood side by side with Steve, and Steve put an arm around him immediately, holding him as close as he can while still holding onto the shield. 

Gansey frowned. “If you have a special knack for finding things, it means you owe the world to look.”

“Steve doesn’t owe the world anything. He did his part.”

Steve rubbed Bucky’s shoulder. “ _We_ did our part.”

Gansey opened his mouth, very clearly to argue, but Blue shot him a look that was so dangerous that it made Steve certain he would never want to cross her, no matter how tiny she was.

“You’re not a demigod,” Bucky sighed. “Not to me. You’re just Steve Rogers.”

Gansey spoke again, calmer now, and more careful. “Well, just Steve Rogers. Whether you’re a god or not, you’re certainly one of us. Since we put you through all this trouble, allow us to make it up to you. It is truly, the least we can do.” he put his hand on his chest, smiling gently.

Steve couldn’t help but smile back. “What did you have in mind?”

* * *

“I’m sorry, you _created_ this forest?” Bucky asked.

Ronan sighed, and Richard Gansey knew he was only feigning annoyance. In reality, Ronan was actually very proud, but his image outweighed his pride, and for that reason, he had to pretend that he was irritated with this particular line of questioning.

Gansey smiled and looked at the people he loved—Cheng, Sargent, Parrish, Lynch, feeling proud that he got to show all of them and this place (this magical forest that would always be Cabeswater to him) to people who were practically gods. These people saved the world over and over again, and yet here, it was Gansey and his friends who were kings, and magicians, and prophets.

“Yup,” Ronan popped his ‘p’. “This is my kingdom.”

Adam, who was so in love that it filled Gansey’s heart with the greatest joy, looked at Ronan fondly. “The forest listens to him.”

Bucky stared at him. “Of course it does.”

Blue, who looked like a fairy in this forest, grinned. “I bet you don’t see this all the time.”

Steve shrugged. “Our Wanda can break open realities. But I have to admit, this is definitely something.”

Gansey had so many questions for Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. He wanted to know all about their life, the before, the present, what they planned for the future. He wanted to know how magic worked on their side of the world, and if it was as Earth shattering as it felt to him.

Treading carefully, he asked, “Wanda, The Scarlet Witch? Can she also _feel_ magic?” But what he was really asking was, _does anyone from your side know that we exist?_

Steve smiled, and they met eyes. Gansey liked him already. He had always been good at choosing people, at knowing who would be in his life forever, who would be there for a short time, and who wouldn’t stay at all. He felt it in him now too, this kinship with Steve Rogers. It was all too familiar. Especially the way Ronan and Bucky were so _similar_. These people were familiars. So much so, that Steve seemed to know what Gansey was really asking.

“No, she wouldn’t have seen you. I don’t even think the US government knows about this. We’d have heard about it if they did.”

Gansey did not miss the look Adam sent to Ronan. “We can never afford to have that happen.”

“Your secret is safe with us.”

Bucky, who was looking up at the trees, murmured, “Can they...are the trees listening now?” he closed his eyes, straining to listen.

Henry sat on the ground, picking at the grass. “Apparently they always are, so be careful what you think. They love Ronan the most and will definitely tell him when you’re annoyed with him.”

Ronan grinned. That was an inside joke that Steve and Bucky would not understand, but Gansey was more concerned with Bucky Barnes, whose serious face was twisting into one of awe.

“I think,” Bucky swallowed. “I think they heard me.”

Excitement flew through Gansey. “What did you ask them for?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking that I was...”

“Afraid?” Ronan asked, but his tone, thank _god_ was not a mocking one. “I heard them speak to you. They’re telling you to trust me, and they’re right.”

“We don’t even know you, kid.”

Gansey walked forward to the two Avengers, smiling openly at them. “This place is only for people like us. Magical people. I promise it is a place where good things happen. I brought you here for a reason, and I need you to keep an open mind for me when I tell you what that reason is.”

Steve looked hesitant but nodded anyhow. “Alright, what is it?”

“I know that you lost people. There is something in this forest that will allow you to see them again.”

That definitely caught Steve’s attention, more so than Bucky who just looked weary. Gansey couldn’t _relate_ necessarily, but he saw through Ronan’s eyes how important a moment like this would be.

It had taken Ronan a very long time to work it out, but luckily, it kept him busy while Adam was away at college, and Gansey was travelling. Gansey worried about him constantly, frustrated that he was away from his friend, but also knew that he had to live his life in the best ways that he knew how. So he was grateful that Ronan was still dreaming, working, and coming up with ways to not only make their lives more interesting but to make his own life more bearable. After all, Ronan Lynch had lost a lot of people he had loved. And so had Steve Rogers.

“What is it?”

“It is a pond, but not a pond at all, and is a mirror into the afterlife or our memories, Ronan isn’t sure which. It isn’t perfect, and you can’t communicate with them, but you can see them. And it’s different from a photo. It’s...it’s almost like they’re present. They react to you, when they see you.”

Ronan added, “It’s not perfect, but it’s enough. I’m working on a better one, but it’s harder than coming up with a forest.”

Bucky mumbled, “Well, sure.”

“So?” Gansey asked, feeling powerful. “Will you venture off unto the unknown?”

Steve nodded immediately. “Take me there.”

He turned on his heels, leading the way, everyone else following in his footsteps. He knew the way now, he knew this forest almost as well as Ronan and Adam. Under his feet, dead leaves from the fall awakened, his thoughts powerful enough, his _kingly blood_ powerful enough to wake the dead. He was certain that Bucky and Steve were noticing it, because the first few times, they had gasped in delight.

Once they got midway through the forest, Gansey shivered as he felt a familiar wind wrap around him before it travelled to his friends.

Bucky immediately asked, “What is that?” The _that_ in question was not only the feeling of the wind. It was the form of it—though it could not be grabbed or had any concrete physical shape, it was very much _there_ in a way that only one who felt it would be able to understand. It picked up the leaves and the dust so they could see the outline of it, and it twirled around the boys, and Blue in a loving way. Blue, in particular, loved this part of the walks the most, and so for that reason, Gansey waited for her to answer, which she did.

“That’s Noah.” she sighed happily. “He’s a spirit. Not a ghost. There seems to be a very important distinction between the two.”

Ronan helpfully added, “He lives here.”

Bucky mumbled to Steve, “Should I even ask?”

Steve chuckled and replied, “Probably not.”

They continued on in silence, eventually, Gansey falling back so he could grab Blue’s hand, and then Henry’s, with Ronan and Adam taking the lead, Adam’s hand on the small of Ronan’s back. Ronan came here often, he knew, to see his parents, but he always seemed afraid, like something would go wrong and one day he would not be able to see them. Adam was a comfort to him, the constant presence that seemed to keep him sane. Once again, Gansey thanked the entire universe for allowing them to find peace with each other.

The pond in question was in the middle of the forest, surrounded by willow trees, keeping it almost completely hidden. There was no need for them to walk through the leaves, Noah’s spirit happily flew beyond them and separated the leaves for them, allowing the entire group to walk through.

Ronan didn’t go near the pond, allowing Steve to have his moment. “You just have to think about who you want to see.”

Surprisingly, Bucky also finally began to look excited. “I can see Becca.”

Steve grabbed his hand, looking scared, but also carefully happy. “Let’s go then.”

Henry motioned to his friends, murmuring, “Let’s give them some privacy.”

Blue nodded, and they left Rogers and Barnes to their duties. From what Gansey knew, while Bucky and Steve had plenty of people in common from their days at the war that they would want to see, Steve, in particular, would likely be searching for Tony and Natasha Romanov, who had passed most recently. Gansey had never fought in a war, but he knew the kind of pain that one can feel if they lost someone. He was grateful, that he hadn’t lost anyone besides Noah. Even though he knew now that Ronan had not been trying to kill himself, when he thought that Ronan _had,_ that had haunted Gansey for a very long time. He could not imagine himself in a world without any of these people around him, and so his heart was with Steve and Bucky, who unfortunately had to learn to live, as old men, in a world where so many from their past and present were gone.

As they waited, Henry put his hand on Gansey’s shoulder and kissed his cheek lightly. “This is a very good thing you have done for them, Gansey boy.”

Gansey shrugged. “We dragged them to 300 Fox Way, this was the least we could do.”

Blue tapped her bottom lip, frowning. “I really thought there would be more to him than just extra magic in his blood.”

“It’s not just extra magic, Blue, it’s the magic of gods. Steve Rogers is definitely special, and his boyfriend knows that too.”

Warningly, Adam said, “Don’t pull them into anything they don’t want to be pulled into, Gansey.”

“I won’t, I promise.” And he meant it too. He knew what it was to suffer, and he knew how it felt when the suffering stopped. He would not force Steve to look further inside himself to figure out what that godly blood allowed him to do, no matter how curious it made him.

It took a long while before Bucky and Steve came out from behind the willow trees, and each of them looked undone, but Steve definitely looked far more wrecked than his counterpart. His eyes were red and puffy, but he was no longer crying. He had likely composed himself before he had come out.

"Thank you," Steve said, looking at Gansey first and then to Ronan. "That was...incredible."

Ronan Lynch, king of this forest, smiled widely. "There's more where that came from."

Steve Rogers' eyes were bright and alive, and now, finally, even Bucky was looking more and more interested. Something was starting, something significant and important, something that would change all of them. The trees whispered to them, egging them all on, urging them to be closer, to unite, to become something more than who they currently were. 

Steve seemed to hear the trees too. His voice was shaken, but filled with wonder. "Show me." he breathed. "Take us with you."

Adam looked over at Gansey, his eyes sparkling with excitement because he already knew what Gansey would say. "What do you think, Gansey?"

Gansey smiled, and it was brighter than a thousand suns. “ _Excelsior."_

* * *

_Meanwhile, in a galaxy far, far away, Poe Dameron and his boyfriend Finn, were making plans for their next adventure._

**Author's Note:**

> While in many ways, this fic and crossover make no sense whatsoever (and maybe was even pointless in some ways), but it combines two worlds I love, and is a gift for someone I love (on her birthday) who knows what these worlds, and characters, mean to me. So that's enough. 
> 
> If you liked, leave me a kudos. If you REALLY liked, leave me a comment. 
> 
> xx


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